Includes index

Introduction -- About this book -- Conventions used in this book -- What you're not to read -- Foolish assumptions -- How this book is organized -- Part 1: Glass, Glorious Glass -- Part 2: Easing Your Way Into The Art: Basic Stained-Glass techniques -- Part 3: Practice Makes Perfect: Stained-Glass projects Aplenty -- Part 4: Adding A Little Heat To The Mix: Working With Warm Glass -- Part 5: Part Of Tens -- Icons used in this book -- Where to go from here -- Part 1: Glass, Glorious Glass -- Welcome to the world of glass -- Stained-glass techniques -- Leaded glass -- Copper-foiled glass -- Adding a little heat: warm glass -- Getting to know glass -- Surveying different glass types -- Touch and feel: taking a look at textured glass -- Getting started with the right tools -- Getting a handle on hand tools -- Glass cutters -- Variety of pliers -- Warming up to soldering equipment -- Soldering irons -- Soldering iron tips -- Soldering iron stands -- Tip cleaners -- Solder -- Getting turned on to power tools -- Glass grinders -- Saws -- Constructing your project with the right tools -- Looking at lead-specific tools -- Focusing on foil-specific tools -- Staying safe: purchasing the right safety equipment for glass projects -- Assembling basic drafting supplies -- Paper for patterns -- Rulers and triangles -- Pattern shears -- Adhesives -- Markers and knives -- Light box -- Setting up your glass-working studio -- Knowing what makes for a good studio space -- Flooring -- Lighting -- Ventilation -- Storage spaces -- Setting up workstations and storage areas within your studio -- Workbench and worktable areas -- Grinder station -- Storage area for all your tools -- Glass storage area -- Storage area for lead and other metals -- Part 2: Easing Your Way Into The Art: Basic Stained-Glass Techniques -- Designed to succeed: working with patterns and selecting your glass -- Patterns 101 -- Using ready-to-build patterns -- Having three copies of each pattern -- Enlarging designs with an opaque projector -- Laying out your pattern -- Determining your project's finished size -- Drawing the outside dimensions of your panel -- Incorporating cut size into your pattern -- Tracing your design onto your pattern -- Numbering the pieces -- Color coding the pieces -- Marking the grain of your glass -- Cutting out and working with templates -- Cutting templates -- Keeping track of your templates -- Selecting glass for various projects -- Cathedral glass -- Opalescent glass -- Textures and patterns -- Making the cut: glass cutting 101 -- Selecting your practice glass -- Getting to know your glass cutter -- Preparing the cutter -- Getting a proper grip -- Cutting straight lines -- First things first: making the score line -- Letting it all fall apart: breaking scored glass -- Working with curves -- Cutting curves -- Controlling the break and run -- Cutting out shapes around your templates -- Positioning templates for cutting -- Cutting the right way: inside curve, outside curve, straight line -- Cutting out circles -- Grozing and grinding glass for a perfect fit -- Working with grozing pliers -- Filing -- Nipping and prying -- Powering up for faster results: glass grinders -- Using your grinder -- Marking your pieces before making adjustments -- Soldering your way to well-jointed projects -- Solder 101: what it is and how it works -- Prepping and using your soldering iron -- Setting your iron to the correct temperature -- Getting a good grip on your iron -- Keeping your tip clean -- Soldering cooper-foil projects -- Selecting the right solder for copper-foil projects -- Applying flux to your project -- Tackling tack soldering -- Running the perfect bead -- Removing excess solder -- Soldering lead-came projects -- Selecting the right solder for lead-came projects -- Testing your iron's temperature -- Soldering the perfect joint -- Removing excess solder -- Soldering safety -- Part 3: Practice Makes Perfect: Stained-Glass Projects Aplenty -- Creating copper-foil projects -- Cutting and foiling your glass pieces -- Prepping the pattern and cutting your glass -- Setting up your work board -- Selecting your foil -- Applying the foil -- Soldering copper-foil projects -- Framing and tack soldering for stability -- Filling in the gaps -- Running a bead to connect the pieces -- Soldering intersections -- Removing excess solder from seams -- Creating a solder frame for smaller projects -- Abracadabra: the magic of wire -- Decorative accents -- Structural applications -- Cleaning up and adding finishing touches -- Cleaning your project -- Applying metal patina -- Project: Butterfly sun catcher -- Project: Sunflower panel with metal frame -- Project: Round rose window -- Building leaded-glass projects -- Selecting and working with lad came -- Choosing the right size and profile of lead came -- Stretching lead came -- Cutting lead came -- Preparing your work board and laying out your pattern -- Constructing your lead project -- Framing it up -- Putting the project together piece by piece -- Achieving the perfect lead fit -- Squaring it up -- Soldering lead-came projects -- Setting your iron's temperature -- Soldering joints and intersections -- Removing excess solder -- Finishing up and cleaning up -- Making a panel airtight and waterproof -- Polishing the glass and adding patina -- Framing your project -- Project: Geometric leaded panel -- Project: Art nouveau tulip -- Project: Round all-American panel -- Making a stained-glass box -- Selecting the glass for your box -- Art glass -- Mirrors -- Beveled glass -- Fun and interesting objects -- Using special tools to construct a glass box -- Visualizing the basic box layout -- One size fits all: foolproof prep for cutting a perfect fit -- Cutting the pieces using your strip cutter -- Laying out and foiling the pieces -- Assembling the basic box -- Soldering the box pieces together -- Attaching the hinges -- Attaching the chain -- Adding box feet -- Mixing it up with some variations on the basic box -- Project: Box with beveled top -- Project: Box with a 3-D flower -- Shedding some light with a basic panel lampshade -- Different styles of lampshades: panel versus dome -- Selecting the glass and hardware for your lampshade based on your pattern -- Deciding what kind of glass to use and how much -- Choosing the right lampshade hardware -- Prepping your pattern and cutting out your glass pieces -- Foiling the glass pieces -- Laying out your pieces for lamp assembly -- Soldering for stability -- Tack soldering -- Running smooth beads along your lamp's seams -- Capping off, cleaning up, and adding patina -- Putting your new skills to work: project patterns -- Project tips and tricks -- Enlarging a design -- Selecting your glass -- Cooper-foil projects -- Hummingbird panel -- Mr Buzz sun catcher -- Floral panel -- Lily panel -- Lead-came projects -- Wright-inspired panel -- Picture-perfect panel -- Landscape panel -- Sunshine panel -- Part 5: Adding A Little Heat To The Mix: Working With Warm Glass -- Getting your studio ready for warm glass -- Knowing what makes a good warm-glass studio -- Space requirements -- Electrical requirements -- Ventilation -- Adding the right tools and supplies to your warm-glass toolbox -- Choosing the right kiln for your studio -- Furnishing your kiln -- Gathering a few other tools and supplies -- Wearing the right safety gear -- Selecting fusible glass -- Determining glass compatibility -- Choosing the right glass size to purchase -- Spicing things up with glass shapes and characters -- Preparing to fire and use your kiln -- Making sure your studio is safe -- Preparing shelves and molds -- Test firing -- Keeping firing charts -- Starting simple with basic fusing techniques -- Understanding the firing process for fusing glass -- Initial heat-up segment -- Ramp-up segment -- Flash-cool segment -- Anneal segment -- Cool-down segment -- Preparing the glass for fusing and firing up the kiln -- Working with multiple layers of glass -- Loading the kiln -- Working with a table-top kiln -- No peeking! -- Project: Fused sun catcher -- Heating things up with some advanced fusing techniques -- Creating your own project design -- Considering your project's size -- Focusing on layers -- Understanding the effects of stacking glass -- Weaving glass -- Adding wire and other inclusions to your projects -- Wiring to hang -- Using fiber paper to create holes in glass -- Gluing hangers to fused projects -- Project: Set of four glass coasters -- Art of shaping warm glass -- Gathering the tools you need to start shaping glass -- Using the right type of kiln for slumping -- Picking out and preparing glass molds -- Opting for fancier glass -- Thin fusing glass -- Iridescent fusing glass -- Dichroic glass -- Glass frit -- Preparing your glass for shaping -- Cutting your fusing glass to fit your mold -- Cleaning the glass -- Decorating the glass -- Fire it up! fusing and slumping your glass -- First firing: fusing the glass -- Second firing: slumping the glass -- Project: Tropical bowl slumped into a mold -- Project: Glass vase draped over a floral former -- Parts Of Tens -- Ten strategies to improve your soldering technique -- Understanding how to control your soldering iron's temperature -- Keep your soldering tip clean -- Figure out how to hold your iron -- Be loyal to your brands -- Know that you can never use too much flux -- Find the right flow and rhythm -- Work on one area at a time -- Keep your intersections clean and low -- Mentally visualize the size of your lad joints -- Practice, practice, practice -- Ten glass works you must study -- Bathers -- Entombment -- Feeding the flamingoes -- Four seasons -- Magnolia and irises -- Minnehaha window -- Mosaics -- Peacock windows -- Wisteria lamps and windows -- Woman and cupid window -- Index

Overview: Discover the artist within and create beautiful stained glass. Beautiful stained glass isn't reserved solely for church windows-it can be used to create intricate patterns in home windows, decorate cabinet doors, patio doors, ceilings, skylights, mirrors, lighting fixtures, garden decorations, and much more. Stained Glass For Dummies provides all the information you need to express your creativity and spruce up your home with this timeless art. You'll get a full range of art glass instruction, from traditional leaded stained glass to hot glass-working techniques. Gorgeous full-color design throughout; Includes designs for creating your own stained glass pieces; Hands-on, easy-to-follow exercises help you perfect your skills. Packed with practical guidance on everything from obtaining supplies to working safely, Stained Glass For Dummies is the perfect guide for beginner and novice artists and artisans who want to try a hand at this centuries-old art

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